Poinsettia plant named ‘BKPONCH’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘BKPONCH’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; smooth, flat and horizontal flower bracts; large inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts; relatively large cyathia; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPONCH’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKPONCH’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new freely branching Poinsettiaplants that have red-colored flower bracts and good postproductionlongevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in February, 2007 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as codenumber 204155-033, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as codenumber 205265-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPoinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands inMarch, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, TheNetherlands since June, 2009 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘BKPONCH’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘BKPONCH’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Smooth, flat and horizontal flower bracts.    -   4. Large inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts.    -   5. Relatively large cyathia.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are smoother        than flower bracts of plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are horizontal        whereas flower bracts of plants of the female parent selection        are upright.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are larger than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Roots of plants of the new Poinsettia are stronger than roots        of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘BKPONTW’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,959.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands,plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘BKPONTW’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger than plants of        ‘BKPONTW’.    -   2. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia were smoother        than flower bracts of plants of ‘BKPONTW’.    -   3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia were horizontal        whereas flower bracts of plants of ‘BKPONTW’ were more upright.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘BKPONCH’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘BKPONCH’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the autumn and early winter in13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, TheNetherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practiceswhich approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettiaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plantswere pinched one time and were 3.5 months old when the photographs andthe detailed description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘BKPONCH’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 204155-033, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number            205265-001, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 3.5 to            four weeks at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; broad inverted            triangle with rounded crown; large inflorescences positioned            above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 34.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 45.6 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about ten lateral branches develop after pinching.            Length: About 21.9 cm. Diameter: Thick, about 6 mm.            Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: About 30° from vertical.            Color: Close to 146A; towards the apex, tinged with close to            183A to 183B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 12.5 cm. Width: About 8.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Obtuse to short acuminate. Margin: Entire,            angulate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Darker than between N137D and 147A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 137B and N138B.            Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Darker than between            N137D and 147A; venation, close to 146A. Fully developed            leaves, lower surface: Close to N138B; main vein, close to            148A and lateral veins, close to 147B. Petiole: Length:            About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:            Close to 183A to 183B. Color, lower surface: Close to 148B            tinged with close to 177B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with bright red-colored flower bracts            subtending the cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral branch            with inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar            plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the            winter under long nyctoperiod conditions; inflorescence            initiation and development can be induced under artificial            long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response            time is about seven to eight weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about six weeks under interior            conditions.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 26 cm. Height (depth):            About 4 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 17. Length:            About 12.3 cm. Width: About 8.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Short acuminate. Margin: Entire. Venation:            Pinnate. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly drooping.            Texture, upper surface: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Color:            Developing bracts, upper surface: Close to 53A. Developing            bracts, lower surface: Close to 46A. Transitional bracts,            upper surface: Close to 46A. Transitional bracts, lower            surface: Close to 46A to 46B. Fully developed bracts, upper            surface: Close to 46A; color becoming closer to 53A with            development. Fully developed bracts, lower surface: Close to            46A to 46B; color becoming closer to 53B to 53C with            development. Bract petiole: Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper surface: Between 53A and 187C. Color,            lower surface: Close to 46A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Length: About            1.3 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Color, immature and            mature: Inner surface: Close to 143C; towards the apex,            tinged with close to 53D. Outer surface: Close to 143B;            towards the apex, tinged with close to 45A to 45B.            Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: About two. Length: About            3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color, immature: Inner surface:            Close to 41B. Outer surface: Close to 154B. Color, mature:            Inner surface: Close to 43A. Outer surface: Close to 21D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Angle: Erect to about 40° from vertical. Color: Close to            146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            three. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to            46A. Anther shape: Club-shaped. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to 46A. Amount of pollen: Scarce to            moderate. Pollen color: Close to 7A. Pistils: Quantity per            cyathium: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Style length:            About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 46A. Stigma shape:            Flattened club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 187A. Ovary            color: Close to 143B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit            production has not been observed on plants of the new            Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about    35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘BKPONCH’ asillustrated and described.